01/17-18 lucha times

box. It’s after the jump too.

It’s not part of the normal shows, but FantasticaMania airs on NJPWWorld this weekend as well. Shows are early Sunday morning and early Monday Morning at 3:30AM Mexico City time; click here for the time in your time zone. (It’s the same time both days.)

== AAA ==

Guerra de Titanes! It’s been so long, you may have forgetton all the finishes. No preview of late, so your guess is as good as mind. They will need to air the mask match first, since the winner shows up in the post match of the title match.

== Lucha Underground ==

Last Luchador Standing

Drago and King Cuerno hunt each other down; the winner must incapacitate their opponent until he cannot answer a 10-count.

Pentagon Jr. vs Super Fly is also taking place next week.

== CMLL ==

FOX2: Kamaitachi vs Dragon Lee should air. La Mascara, La Sombra, Marco vs Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas, Shocker is the main event.

Azteca: Mascara Dorada vs Negro Casas.

52MX: A random cibernetico, and Atlantis, Maximo, Valiente vs Cavernario, Felino, Mr. Niebla

Claro: the La Mascara, Titan, Valiente vs Euforia, Niebla Roja, Shoccker match which didn’t air on Terra

C3: Kraneo, Olimpico, Rey Bucanero vs Delta, Guerrero Maya, Valiente. This really looks like a skippable two hours.

Terra Sunday: Dragon Rojo, Marco Corleone, Super Porky vs Kraneo, Olimpico, Rey Bucanero. Some stuff on the undercard looks more pleasant, but this also another card you shouldn’t go out of your way to track down.

== IWRG ==

IWRG (LAS/AYM): fourway tag match in the main event, Ninja Turtles vs Arana de Plata, Dowki, Hip Hop Man and Imposible in the opener.

Read More

FantasticaMania Day 3, Alberto not to Lucha Underground, Rush on his 2015 plans

CMLL (TUE) 01/13/2015 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Metatrón b Évola
win via powerbomb
2) Leo & Star Jr. b Arkángel de la Muerte & Maléfico
Leo replaced Omar Brunetti.
3) Puma, Tiger, Virus b Dragon Lee, Esfinge, Pegasso
Rudos took 1/3.
4) Ephesto, Felino, Hechicero b Blue Panther Jr., Dragón Rojo Jr., Fuego
5) Euforia, Negro Casas, Shocker b La Máscara, Marco Corleone, Máximo
Shocker used the ropes to beat Marco.

and that’s how they got to Shocker/Marco.

CMLL (THU) 01/15/2015 KBS Hall, Kyoto, Japan [NJPW]
***FantasticaMania 2015, Day 3***
Attendance: 850
1) Bárbaro Cavernario & YOSHI-HASHI b Kushida & Yohei Komatsu
9:15. Yohei Komatsu replaced Rey Cometa (injury). Cavernaria on Cavernario.
2) Mr. Niebla & Okumura b Ángel de Oro & Stigma
8:31. Mima Shimoda seconded the rudos. Niebla powerbomb on Stigma. (Niebla’s finisher translated to Death Nukadora?)
3) Gedo & Pólvora b Mistico & Tiger Mask
9:40. Polvora Driver on Mistico. Polvora took Mistico & Tiger Mask’s masks after the match.
4) Kazuchika Okada & Mephisto b Captain New Japan & Stuka Jr.
8:25. Okada beat New Japan with the Red Ink.
5) La Sombra, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tetsuya Naito b Jushin Liger, Máscara Dorada, Tritón
11:17. Sombra beat Triton with the Shadow Driver.
6) Gran Guerrero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Último Guerrero b Atlantis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Volador Jr.
11:46. Gran Guerrero upset Volador with the top rope flapjack slam (listed as the Guerrero Special, but it’s the finish he used as Taurus.)

Taped, but I don’t see the air date on SamuraiTV’s schedule. Sombra is mostly rudo, so it was as close to an all rudo night as they can get. No update on Cometa. They’re off tomorrow and then resume Saturday with the Angel de Oro/Okumura title match and a one night tag team tournament.

El Patron Alberto said he was not going to Lucha Underground. Something’s changed, because Alberto himself last year said he was going to Lucha Underground and it was considered a lock. It’s possible it could be on either side – Alberto’s got plenty of other options (with wrestling and MMA) or Lucha Underground could’ve changed it’s offer. I think the in-ring in Lucha Underground will go on fine without Alberto, but they could use the name and not getting him might suggest plans a lesser commitment to the project.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentioned a casting call for “Doritos Presents Lucha Underground”, which appears to be a web reality show where 8 people compete for 1 spot on the show. Presenting Lucha Underground in other media was one of the original plans for the project, but pretty much nothing outside of social media has materialized – this would start to change that. Casting is listed as taking place next week (in between the two weekends of taping), and the show would start to shoot on 03/01. Lucha Underground is scheduled to have a TV break in the summer, so perhaps they’ll time this to air on the web during that break.

Rush appeared on CMLL Informa. He’s the last guest and mentioned just recently got the screw taken out of his leg. Rush was mellower than usual – maybe he’s still on pain killers from the screw removal. No return date was announced and it seems to be far off, since he’s only just started walking. Rush said he had no problem with Marco being in the Ingobernables because he’s a friend. Rush plans on destroying everyone and wants the Heavyweight title and the Universal championship. I believe part of the reason why the heavyweight title was so quiet is CMLL long ago decided Rush is going to be the next guy to win it and he had other feuds going on. (It doesn’t explain why Terrible isn’t defending it against other people so it’d mean something when he loses it.)

The other notable interview was with Dragon Lee, who was really pushing for a mask match with Kamaitachi. That’s clearly the plan at this point. Dragon Lee hoped it’d be at the Anniversary show, but Dos Leyendas or the months just after seem more likely.

Meanwhile, CMLL.com has a story on Olimpico getting a new Egyptian look, using the “renew or die” phrase used often when superficial changes are made. I guess he just found out this week that wrestling in a ratty black t-shirt is not a marketable look? (Also, I have this vague impression he tried this before but maybe I’m imagining things.)

BxB Fly has music videos of 10/13/14 Puebla, 10/14/14 Guadalajara, and 10/19/14 Coliseo

SuperLuchas looks back 44 years to El Santo being honored by a circus and Andre el Gigante in Guadalajara.

Cronicas y Leyendas looks back at Perro Sr. with a much younger Vampiro & Konnan.

Hechicero says he respects Guerrero Maya’s abilities but Maya shouldn’t challenge him unless he wants problems.

Impulso is sure he’ll show he’s better than Freelance.

Bio of San Luis Río Colorado’s Majestick.

Octagon is briefly interviewed for a show in Cicero.

Myzteziz & Alberto are advertised as wrestling in Qatar from October 7th to the 9th.

Lineups

CaraLuchas (SAT) 01/31/2015 Arena San Juan Pantitlan, Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal
1) ? vs ??
2) Andy Boy, Danger, Guerrero Mixtico vs Arez, Belial, Impulso
3) Demus 3:16 & Pierrothito vs Freelance & Mike Segura
4) Estrellita & Star Fire vs ? & Diosa Atenea
5) ? & Dragon Lee (CMLL) vs Aeroboy & Flamita
mystery person will be from CMLL
6) Hechicero (CMLL), Máximo, Último Guerrero vs Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II

That’s a unique main event, and some different looking matches underneath. Maximo annoying the Navarros always sounds like a fun idea. The 2nd and 3rd matches might be really good too. There’s been rumors of big names for the mystery CMLL spot, but nothing’s for sure until it’s announced.

Lucha Underground 1×10: Law of the Jungle

Aerostar!

the matches

Cage beat Aerostar, Argenis, Angelico in a four way elimination match
Cage flip powerbomb on Argenis (5:08)
Cage spinning clothesline on Aerostar (5:53)
Cage spinning clothesline on Angelico (5:59)

King Cuerno DCOR Drago (3:20)

Prince Puma (c) b Fenix for the Lucha Underground Championship (12:09, 630 senton)
– first defense for the championship

Angelico corner tope con giro

the developments

Dario gave Fenix a title match in hopes he’d embarrass Konnan & Puma. Fenix didn’t seem interested in allying with Cueto, but Dario just wanted him to win. They aired a Fenix vignette and Fenix fought well for the title before losing cleanly.

Aerostar, Argenis, Angelico and Cage debuted in a four way. Argenis was introduced by Striker as a mix of Dr. Wagner & Silver King. I have no idea. Angelico played a bit rudo. Aerostar and Angelico both hit their big dives, but everyone ended up losing to Cage in the end. Cage used a discus clothesline and a double powerbomb as his big moves in the match, then used them again on Prince Puma after the main event. The only iffy moment in Cage’s debut was a post win speech, where he declared “They call me Cage, because I’m not a man, I’m a machine.”

Chavo Guerrero Jr. called out Blue Demon to apologize, but it turned out he was apologizing he didn’t do more to Demon. Chavo tried to cheap shot Demon with knucks, but Demon knocked him out and hit him with chairs. Striker said this was the end of the feud.

Drago & King Cuerno went to a double countout of the ring when Drago dived from the top of Dario’s office to splash Cuerno thru a table. Neither man could continue, but it seemed the feud would.

Mystery Woman was seen spying on Fenix and Dario in their meeting; Striker suggested she was interest in the title picture.

all my gifs from the show are here: http://imgur.com/a/wIbbR and probably on tumblr next.

Drago Jack

the questions

  • when will Cage get a title shot? will they explain why they call him Cage again?

  • what’s next for Chavo & Demon now that they’re not feuding? Is there a next?

  • where did Striker come up with that Wagner/Silver line? Did he just get Argenis’ family confused?

  • how did Dorian Roldan score those front row seats? He must know someone.

stray thoughts

Fenix tries to pull a Flamita and Puma isn’t having it

If last week was the end of the first chapter, this felt like a strong opening to chapter two. Cage debuted, won strongly, and immediately got himself into the title picture. Cage looked impressive and a huge threat. Dario was already trying to recruit Fenix, so maybe he’ll move onto Cage. Some of the regulars (Mundo, Muertes, the Crew) did not appear on this show to give other people the spotlight. It was really a show about three guys, Fenix (who got the vignette and the skit with Dario before the title match), Cage (who got the win and the beatdown after the main event) and Puma (who kept his title.) Everyone came out looking better than before, including Fenix impressing in a great match.

The other guys from the four way looked good, though there wasn’t any clear direction for them. Striker didn’t mention Myzteziz in relation to Argenis, which I found at least interesting.

The Cuerno/Drago match was really short. Live, this was a three falls match, so they must’ve really cut it down. The spot at the end was enough to make it memorable.

Demon’s attack on Chavo looked weak, but it was over so that was nice.

I can not imagine Wednesdays without this show. It’s too fun.

HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER